The Potters in the Past
by Pyracantha
Summary: I promise the story is somewhat better than the title- Chapter 6! RR pretty please!
1. A Strange Day

Today was a strange day.   
  
Remus only noticed it because James was being so exceptionally silent. Normally he was the spirit of the whole group that led them in pranks, jokes, and all their other fun. However, at Dinner he sat quietly, wrinkling his brow and occassionally reaching a hand to the back of his hair, ruffling it, as an unconscious habit. He completely ignored his environment (including his plate) Sirius was the only lively one, chatting with Remus. However, Moony wasnÕt giving him his full attention. Instead, he was listening to Sirius while watching James. Sirius was not even aware of this.   
  
"Did you notice in Flitwick's classroom today?" Sirius said, eagerly shoveling food into his mouth.  
  
"No, what?" Remus was picking the raisins out of a roll.  
  
"Apparently he's into werewolves."  
  
At the sound "werewolf" Remus quickly turned his to face Sirius, a curious grin played over his lips. "Oh, yeah?"  
  
"THE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO OVERCOMING FEAR OF WEREWOLVES- I Saw it myself. Was one of the books he was standing on."  
  
Remus chuckled lightly. "Do you suppose this might be reason enough for me to drop Charms?"   
  
Sirius smiled, knowing very well that it was his friend's most detested subject.  
  
Sirius, who was sitting on James' right gently elbowed him. "D'you hear that, Prongs?"   
  
James suddenly looked up. "What?"   
  
Remus good-naturedly retold the story. James laughed lightly but then went quiet again.   
  
"So what happened to Wormtail?" Remus asked, obviously directing the question at James.  
  
Silence.  
  
"I think Professor Weldrip wanted to keep him for a while- you know how his potions have turned out the past week," Sirius muttered.  
  
"Understandable," Remus answered tersely.  
  
"So, James, still not thinking about what Evans said after O.W.L.'s yesterday?" Sirius said.  
  
James shifted the weight on his chair and pushed his plate away. "No, I guess not." His tone was uneasy and distracted. Pause. "Maybe..." Sirius and Remus exchanged doubtful glances. James propped his elbows up on the table and rested his head on the backs of his hands. Pause. "Actually, I think I am."  
  
Sirius and Remus knew right away that this had been hard to admit for him. He probably never would have confessed so if Peter had been around, but it was obvious that Lily had hurt his ego. Not only by her continuous rejection but also because she was critical of the way he had teased Snape.   
  
"You don't think she meant the part about rather going out with a giant squid, do you?" he asked, turning his head to face his friends.   
  
"No," they said in unison.   
  
James sighed. "Why I am I letting this bother me so much? I should just forget it."  
  
"Yeah," Sirius said absentmindedly. "Let's go look for something fun to do."   
  
"Yeah, We could hex the door to Transfiguration- isn't that what we have first thing tomorrow?" James' eyes began to lighten up.   
  
Remus confirmed his question by nodding his head.  
  
"Wanna lock it so no one can get in?" Sirius asked.  
  
"I'd love to see McGonagalls's face when she can't open the door. Coming Remus?"  
  
But his expression was disapproving. "Let's not, just this once. You already got in trouble for picking on Snape after the O.W.L.'s yesterday. Why don't you let it rest for a while?"  
  
"There's nothing else to do." They stood up.  
  
"But Sirius, you could practice your Charms instead... Just this once why don't you let it go?"  
  
James looked pensive. "Let's not, then," he said simply.  
  
Sirius, astounded, turned to his friend. "James, you really don't look so good to me. That's the first time ever you've turned something like that down." Shrugging his shoulders he said, "Maybe you're right, Moony. Feels like a weird day anyway. Guess we're not up to it."   
  
"Let's get out of here, then," Remus moved towards the door. The three of them left the great hall and wandered out to the greenhouses.  
  
"Smells horrible," James remarked.  
  
"What do you expect- herbology isn't about breeding pretty flowers," Sirius said, a little too severe. Remus knew he was cross that he had talked James out of playing the prank on Professor Fudge.  
  
"Actually," Remus said, sniffing the air, "It does smell bad- worse than usual, I mean."   
  
Sirius blushed. James noticed immediately, "Padfoot?"  
  
Scarlet, and rather sheepish-looking he said," I just remembered- that was Peter and me yesterday before breakfast."   
  
Remus raised an eyebrow, "Dungbombs?"   
  
"Mhmm, forgot about it."  
  
James laughed heartily for the first time that day. The whole group joined in and laughed until their faces were flushed. When the laughter had finally died down they simply stood facing each other.   
  
"What were we laughing about?" James asked.   
  
"Don't remember..." Remus and Sirius said unison, a grin still resting on their lips.   
  
It was obvious that James' spirits had risen genuinely for a while because as they walked back there was a slight bounce in his step. Passing the Whomping Willow, he said, "I really wish it were full moon."  
  
Remus sighed, "Me,too. But at least the O.W.L.'s are over and summer holidays are almost here."  
  
"Maybe we could PRETEND it was full moon. We could transform and then go through the tunnel to Hogsmeade..."  
  
"No classes..." James said.  
  
"..No Snivellus..."  
  
"Well even if you can transform, you know I can only transform during full moon," Remus said.  
  
"Sorry, Moony. I forgot about that," James said, with a guilty look.   
  
"Ne'er mind. Let's go..."  
  
Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs walked up into the school just as the bell rang.  
  
Lily Evans, red hair gleaming in the sun, stepped out from behind a bush near the Whomping Willow. Yes, she thought to herself as she headed to class, Today was a strange day. 


	2. Hogsmeade

Author's Note: This is my 1st fanfic, so be kind! However I love advice from fellow writers, so please don't hesitate to review!!! (click that button! ^.^) By the way, if you guys read the fifth HP book, this takes place the day right after the part where Harry finds and goes into his parents' past in Snape's Pensive (Ch. 28: "Snape's Worst Memory")   
  
I was actually hoping for more reviews, but I'll continue anyway just for the heck of it.. Let's see where this story goes...  
  
potterchick1: Thank you for your review (my 1st review ever!) and really nice compliment *blushes* - you made my day! ^_^ And for your question, yes- Lily overheard and I was hoping to clarify that in chap. 2  
  
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling... However, original characters are credited to me as well as the plot (I think).  
  
*_______________________________________________*  
  
Lily Evans woke up, startled on Saturday. Her stomach was churning and her head was throbbing. She remembered what had happened right after they had taken the O.W.L.'s on Thursday. Was I bit too harsh with James? she asked herself. Maybe not, she told herself, but she was not comforted.   
  
She had actually wanted to go to the greenhouse to make sure her project for herbology was growing properly, but when she had seen James and his gang there she had hesitated. They had started to walk over back to the school. Not wanting to be seen, she had hidden in a bush near the Whomping Willow instead of going back into the school. She supposed she had been curious to know what boys talked about when they were alone. She had heard James saying something about wishing it was full moon. She had also caught something about transforming and roaming Hogsmeade, but Remus had said he could only transform during full moon. Lily was a clever girl and Care of Magical Creatures had always been one of her best subjects. That meant Remus could only be a....  
  
___________________________________________  
  
"-WEREWOLF??" Vanessa looked at Lily, mouth open, eyes wide. Lily had crept out of her bed and pulled back the curtains of her friend's four-poster.  
  
"SHHH... not so loud" Lily tried to shush her friend and glanced nervously around the Gryffindor fifth year Girl's Dormitory, hoping no one was overhearing their conversation.   
  
"Sorry," Vanessa said genuinely remorseful, "Let's go talk outside instead- or better yet why don't we go with everyone else to Hogsmeade?"  
  
"Good idea, but did we actually sign up for the trip?"  
  
"Last week."  
  
"Ok, then let's go. We can sit in The Three Broomsticks. That place is always pretty full. I don't think anyone could eavesdrop. What d'you think, 'Nessa?," Lily said, brushing a few stray locks of auburn hair out of her face.  
  
"Sure, fine by me," Vanessa smiled cheerfully. "Let's get dressed first, though," she added.   
  
When they had slipped out of their nightgowns Lily said, "Let's go to our trunks and get some money!" Vanessa and Lily ran to their trunks and gathered a few sickles and knuts, putting them in small purses and then stashing them safely inside their robes. They quietly left the girls' dormitory as not to disturb those who weren't up yet. Downstairs in the Gryffindor common room, they began to chatter again.   
  
"W-w-wait, Lily," 'Nessa said, interrupting Lily mid-word. Vanessa stretched her neck to look over to a far corner in the common room. Lily turned her head, trying to figure out what 'Nessa was so interested in.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Look over there! I think that's Sirius with Remus, isn't it?"  
  
Lily turned around to look. She couldn't help staring curiously. What were they talking about now? And where was James..? Suddenly, Remus looked up and their eyes met. Alarmed, she quickly turned her head. But Remus had already called out, "Hello Lily!"  
  
Lily weighed her choices. Should she pretend she hadn't heard him? But he knew that she had been staring at him and Sirius ... They weren't exactly her friends, especially Sirius, who was closest to James, and she always acted like she hated James. Remus was alright, though. They had sometimes had nice conversations when they had been placed next to each other in History of Magic during fourth year... What if she DID turn around and walked over to their table? Well, so what if she did? She'd pretend she didn't know... Already, she found herself involuntarily walking over. Vanessa followed her.  
  
"Hello Remus, Hi Sirius!" said Lily in a falsely bright voice.  
  
"Hello," said Vanessa, "What's that piece of parchment?" Sirius had a a quill and ink out, writing steadily.  
  
"Letter to parents," Sirius mumbled, not looking up.  
  
"I see," said Vanessa in a quiet reserved voice and she fell silent.  
  
Lily felt a bit uncomfortable too. Remus was certainly being kind to her, making small talk about school, O.W.L.'s, latest homework and school assignments, plans for summer, but Lily felt strange. When she saw how Vanessa had started winding her curly chestnut hair around her fingers and nervously shifting her weight from one foot to the other and back again she broke off the conversation.  
  
"Well, it's been nice talking to you , Remus," she said. "And you, Sirius," she added quickly, "but Vanessa and I were planning to go to Hogsmeade today so we'll see you guys later."  
  
"Alright, bye then," Remus said. Sirius didn't look up, he only muttered what sounded like ,"see you later."  
  
Lily and Vanessa went to the Great Hall where they sat with their usual group.   
  
"Wow, you really slept in, didn't you?" Nadine said through a spoonful of oatmeal.  
  
"That essay for Professor Binns," Lily said ,"it took me most of the evening and I didn't get to bed 'til one-thirty."  
  
"I finished that on Wednesday, actually. 'Nessa, Nadine and I were in the library together looking up the Goblin Rebellions," Sasha said. She took a quick sip from her milk, "Weren't you there, Lily?"  
  
"No, remember? I was making up an Arithmancy exam..."  
  
"Oh, yeah, didn't you have your career advice during arithmancy on Wednesday?" Nadine said.  
  
"uh, huh," Lily mumbled.  
  
"So who else is going to Hogsmeade besides Lily and me?" 'Nessa piped up.  
  
"Too Lazy," Sasha and Nadine said at the same time.   
  
"Well everyone else seems to be going now so I guess 'Nessa and I should be going."  
  
"Alright, we'll see you later then?"  
  
Why don't we meet later in the common room?" Sasha suggested.  
  
"Sure, bye then!"  
  
Lily and 'Nessa, chattering about how excited they were at the prospect of school ending in two weeks and having finished their O.W.L.'s, moved over to the other crowd of kids who were leaving as well. They headed with the teachers through to Hogsmeade. Deeply immersed in conversation, they trudged over to the Three Broomsticks and went in.   
  
"I'll get the drinks," Lily said.  
  
"I'll find our usual table, Vanessa responded immediately and walked off.  
  
Lily had to shout to Madame Rosmerta because the volume inside the Three Broomsticks was becoming increasingly louder each time the door opened and more Hogwarts students walked in. It was an unusually chilly and windy day with summer so near upon them, so students were all taking refuge in shops. With two butterbeers and change in hand, she headed off towards 'Nessa and her usual corner table. It was quieter and more secluded from the rest of the large groups at the other tables here. Lily put down the two warm mugs, pocketed her change, pushed back her chair. She sat down and started some friendly gossip with 'Nessa.  
  
____________________________________   
  
When James finally got out of bed, the Gryffindoor Boys' dormitory was already empty. The common room was empty too, except for Remus and Wormtail who were just on their way out of the portrait-hole. James quickly caught up with them and together they walked to the Great Hall.  
  
"Had a good night's sleep?" Remus asked as they sat down at the Gryffindor table.   
  
"Great," James said shortly. Evans was nowhere in sight. "Where's everyone esle?"  
  
"Hogsmeade, I expect," said Remus, picking the raisins out of his oatmeal.  
  
James looked pensive for a moment, then,"I'm using my invisibility cloak today."  
  
Remus looked up but said nothing, merely raised an eyebrow.  
  
Pettigrew nervously spooned porridge into his mouth at an amazing speed. Through thick mouthfuls he joked ,"F-fo-fowgot to s-sign up a-again, eh?"  
  
James didn't reply, only asked, "Where's Padfoot?"  
  
"Went to the owlery," Remus said. "He didn't seem in the mood to go to Hogsmeade today."  
  
"Well, alright then, I'll go by myself," James stuffed the rest of his muffin in his mouth, stood up and with long strides made his way back up to the dormitories. "Vindictus Viridian" he told the portrait of the fat lady and it swung open. In his trunk, he dug around for his invisibility cloak, draped around his shoulders and over his head and went on his way. As he made his way into Hogsmeade, he spied a mane of long red hair inside the window of The Three Broomsticks. He went in, his cloak still on, and found the corner in which Lily was sitting with 'Nessa, sipping butterbeer. He decided to just stand nearby to watch her and listen. Coincidentally, he heard that she just happened to be talking about him.  
  
"Well, you see the thing with James is," Lily was saying, "He just thinks so highly of himself. He seems like the type who is much more likely to fall in love with HIMSELF than anyone real."  
  
"Aside from that, he's terribly good-looking, isn't he?" Vanessa giggled.  
  
"Oh, 'Nessa!" Lily blushed and giggled too. "More butterbeer?"  
  
"Please," Vanessa handed Lily her mug, who pushed back her chair to get up. Suddenly, Lily dropped both mugs and jumped slightly.   
  
"JAMES!" she exclaimed. James, startled, looked around him. Lily had stepped on his invisibility cloak, pulling it off his shoulders.  
  
*___________________________________________*  
  
AN: Hope I didn't disappoint! Sorry for the cliffhanger- but Please click that button! ^.^ 


	3. Confrontation

Author's Note: Hello Again everyone! I apologize that I took much longer to post Chapter Three (especially since it was a cliffhanger!) Spring Break is over and it's back to school :-( So I don't know how I'll often I'll be able update.... I'll do my best though ^_^   
  
potterchick1: Thank you for reviewing again ^_^ I appreciate your encouragement a lot!  
  
Lady Maybelline and Arianrhod: I realize your point.. sorry that it might not make too much sense. I was thinking along the lines of Remus enjoying cutting class and being with his friends instead??? Anyway, I guess we're all about to find out how James will get out of this mess... Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Miraonawall: Thanks a lot! I appreciate your comment. Hope you come along for the rest of the fic ~_^  
  
Disclaimer: once again, I am only a humble little amateur writer, therefore I own nothing in this story but my original creations; Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling.  
  
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The room fell uncomfortably silent. James felt everyone's attention focused on the corner where he was standing, invisibility cloak at his feet. Normally James enjoyed being in the limelight but this kind of attention had a negative aura and he began to perspire. He felt himself blush and hung his head in shame. Should he try to make a joke out of it? But if he was treading on thin ice, he knew it. If he messed up now, Lily would never forgive him. Maybe if he did the right thing this time by apologizing, she would give him a chance... Lily stood frozen- she thought steam was coming out her ears, her eyes were flashing. She looked disbelievingly at the two broken mugs she had dropped on the floor, then at James. Back at the broken mess. Back at James. She had just parted her lips and was about to ask James what the HELL he was doing- but suddenly Madame Rosmerta came with her wand. The shards instantly mended back into two mugs.  
  
"Had a little spill here, did we?" She flashed an uneasy smile, sensing the intensity of the moment.  
  
Lily regained her semi-sanity. "Well, I'm sorry about that," she spoke nervously and looked at the floor when she talked.  
  
"Quite alright." Madame Rosmerta pointed her wand at the mugs again, "Accio!" They flew into the air and she caught them by their handles and drifted back into crowd again.  
  
Everyone was still focused on Lily and James and they noted the tense moment, though they were all pretending to be interested in their own conversations. Lily felt nervous, too, having had all attention suddenly thrust on her. She licked her dry lips. "I'll meet you back here later," she whispered to her friend. Vanessa acknowledged her with a nod. She turned to James, "Potter..." She looked directly into his eyes, "I need to talk to you... NOW." She gave him a commanding stare with her emerald green eyes and made her way to the door. James followed her, fidgeting anxiously. Hogwarts students watched fiery red-head Lily Evans and the idolized James Potter walk out the door into the unseasonably cold streets of Hogsmeade.   
  
The cobbled streets of Hogsmeade were quiet and nearly empty. Sometimes there were a few other witches and warlocks walking along the road but only for a little bit, then they would stop and enter a shop.   
  
For a little while, James and Lily just walked in no particular direction. They were quiet. Lily was silent because she knew she wanted to pound some kind of a message into that big head of his but wasn't exactly sure of how to word it yet. What she really wanted to was yell at him boundlessly for invading her privacy. Yet, she felt conflicted. She, too had spied on him- and she had overheard that Remus was most definitely a werewolf. Hadn't they also said something about transforming? Yes, they had. Only animals are harmless to werewolves, aren't they? She was sure of it. So did that mean they could transform into animals or something like that....?  
  
James, however, was quiet because he, too wanted to say something to Lily. He couldn't make up his mind of what to say. If he apologized would she believe his honesty? She probably didn't think that there was an ounce of sincerity in him anyway. He wasn't actually sorry, was he? He hadn't really DONE anything to her... All he realized was that she was obviously infuriated.   
  
He stole a glance at her. Her shoulder blade-length auburn hair was tied back loosely while the rest hung down. The chill outside had made her cheeks glow a healthy pink. Her startling green eyes looked morose and lips were pressed together in a thin line. Even now, on a gloomy cold day she looked radiant and without realizing it, James' lips had turned up into a somewhat goofy smile. She noticed his gaze on her and stared back at him with her eyebrows narrowed into a scowl. Why couldn't she just recognize him for what he was to all the other girls? The talented, clever, handsome James Potter? He wasn't really as conceited as she thought him to be, was he...? Should he just apologize? At any rate, she was probably waiting for him to say something, like maybe a sorry...  
  
"Look, Lily..." James began with a sigh.  
  
"I know about Remus," Lily blurted out at the same time.  
  
"What?" they said simultaneously.   
  
"I wa-" James began again.  
  
"I know ab-" Lily said at the same time.  
  
"You go ahead."  
  
No, you go."  
  
"Well.. I don't really know how to put this.." James bit his lip nervously, "but I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry Lily- really." He watched her face lighten up just a bit. Encouraged, he continued, "But I don't really understand why exactly you're this ups-" He stopped. This had apparently been exactly the wrong thing to say.  
  
She stopped dead in her tracks. "You don't understand why I'm upset?! Of course you wouldn't understand! You are a self-absorbed, self-centered, egotistic show-off. You'd probably date yourself if you could-"  
  
"Come on, Lily," James said, turning red, "you're not being fair..."  
  
"FAIR?" Lily screeched, her hands turning into tight fists at her sides. "I suppose you think you were 'fair' with Snape, picking on him like that after O.W.L.'s on Thursday??!"  
  
"This isn't about him..." James' face flushed and he began to feel more and more self-conscious.  
  
"Then what IS it about?" Lily said, irritated.  
  
"Well, YOU'RE the one who dragged me out of there. You tell me."  
  
"Why did you spy on me?" she folded her arms across her chest.  
  
"I wasn't really trying to spy on you Lily... I wasn't even there because you were... I was looking for Sirius and Remus.... you seem to get the idea that everything is about you..." He boldly flashed a flippant smirk across his face as he said the last line.  
  
Lily scoffed. "Of course you were wearing an invisibility cloak-"  
  
At the words "invisibility cloak" something dawned on James. He had left his cloak at the Three Broomsticks! Should he run out on Lily right now and run to get it? Or should he wait until later and go back then? Would it still be there? It was valuable- if he lost it, he might never be able to sneak out of the castle with Moony, Padfoot, and Wormtail anymore... The ventures out to Hogsmeade during full moons would be over... What about Lily? Well what about her? She was sore at him right now, wasn't she? He could talk to her later... Anyway he hadn't heard anything she had just said. He made up his mind- and ran as fast as he could in direction of The Three Broomsticks.  
  
"JAMES!" LIly called after him. "YOU'RE HOPELESS, POTTER!" she yelled after him, down the empty streets.  
  
_________________________________________  
  
After dinner, Lily, Nadine, Sasha, and Vanessa sat at their usual table in the Gryffindor common room. Sasha and Vanessa were engaged in a game of Go Fish (It was Extra Credit in Muggle Studies if you learned how to play a Muggle card game). Lily was drawing in her sketchbook while Nadine was writing in her journal. The girls were still all keeping a lively conversation.  
  
"So what's with you and Potter?" Nadine was asking.  
  
Lily made a grim face. "He was the biggest jerk today." She gave an exasperated sigh.  
  
"You mean more than usual," Vanessa said. "No Fish!" she said to Sasha.  
  
Nadine giggled. "You mean 'GO fish'" she said to Vanessa.   
  
Vanessa laughed good-naturedly. "You see how bad I am... that's why I need extra credit... I wish I had a muggle family."  
  
"Me too," Sasha sighed. And she propped an elbow on the table under her chin.  
  
"Oh, no you don't," Lily shook her head. "Petunia- that's my sister, is one of the most insensitive, unkind muggles you'll ever meet. We don't get along at all."  
  
"But siblings fight naturally, don't they?" Sasha pointed out. "Like my brothers and I... we live in two different worlds- completely."  
  
"You're right," Lily replied. She looked thoughtful for a minute and then said, "I guess what I mean is that sometimes I feel so different from my parents and my sister. Here I feel more at home, but then when people like Malfoy saunter up to me and call me a Mudblood, as if that's my name, I feel like I don't belong here either."  
  
"Oh Lily- you know Malfoy's a jerk! Just ignore him..."  
  
"I know I should, but sometimes it gets hard, trying to look unaffected and strong. And then Potter isn't making things any easier for me. I don't need to be defended. It makes me lose the little dignity I have."  
  
"I could definitely relate," Vanessa said, laying down another card. "Malfoy gives that feeling to everyone and then some guy thinks he's being a gentleman by making him apologize to you..."  
  
"By the way," Nadine said, looking up from her journal and putting down her pencil, "What IS with you and Potter?"  
  
"Oh, Nadine, you just asked!" Lily sighed, I caught him spying on me and Vanessa in The Three Broomsticks. And we were JUST talking about him, too-"  
  
Nadine's eyes gleamed and she leaned forward in her seat, "So what happened?"  
  
"Well, I marched him outside and tried to confront him but he ran off."  
  
"James Potter ran AWAY from you?"  
  
"I still don't know why he left... coward," Lily muttered.  
  
"You didn't bother to find out?" Sasha exclaimed immediately, putting her cards down.  
  
"Think about it," said Lily, "He's JAMES POTTER... and I don't really even care where he went. I was going to tell him to leave me alone but he left himself so there was no need."  
  
"Lily," 'Nessa sighed, "it's so painfully obvious that he likes you- maybe you could even change him..."  
  
"That's wishful thinking," Lily said, shaking her head.  
  
"You know what, though, Lily?" Sasha asked, as she picked her cards up again and resumed her game with Vanessa.  
  
"No, what?"  
  
"Maybe he's a different person inside. You could get to know him... Maybe you could at least be friends."  
  
Lily sighed. "It's late... I'm tired. Why don't we all go to bed now?"  
  
"You're right. Let's clean up our card game Sasha."  
  
____________________________________________  
  
A little while later, upstairs in the Girls' dormitory, Lily slipped into her nightgown and was lying under the covers of her bed. She drew the curtains closed around her four-poster and whispered a last "good night" to 'Nessa, who was lying in the bed next to hers. Lily snuggled under her comforter and stared at the canopy of her bed for a long time before she fell asleep. As she closed her eyelids and drifted off to sleep she remembered the last conscious image in her mind was that of James Potter- his tousled black hair sticking up and his hazel eyes smiling at her.  
  
*_______________________________________________*  
  
One of my longer chapters.... no cliffhanger this time! Please- click that button! ^_^ thank you guys! 


	4. The Last Week

Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only original creations are credited to me..  
  
Author's Note: Well, I'm back with Chapter Four!!! You have no idea how much I'm actually enjoying writing this fic... crappy as it may be- it's still a lot of fun! I have never enjoyed writing this much! The more feedback I get, the more I enjoy it :-) Anyway, I think I talk too much in my AN....  
  
Frodo Fanatic: I'm glad to have the honor of being your first reviewer :) Reading yours was fun! (*update again soon!!*) About your question- when I think about it I guess I should've put Snape. I was originally thinking of Lucius Malfoy but I haven't even mentioned him in here yet. Thanks ^_^  
  
potterchick1: Thank you! I'm happy you're liking it!  
  
ali: write me a fanfic so I can read it too!! :)  
  
One Last thing- since Lily and James are at Hogwarts, obviously the teachers are different ones than in the Harry Potter books. I thought you might like to know the teachers' names: (Most of them are pretty lame)  
  
Transfiguration- Professor McGonagall (I think I once said this as Fudge in Chap. 1 and that was my bad- I'll change it ASAP) Potions- Pofessor Weldrip Herbology- Professor Dingleberry History of Magic- Professor Binns Care of Magical Creatures- Professor Kettering Divination- Professor Windbough Charms- Professor Flitwick Defense Against the Dark Arts- TBA Nurse- Madame Ratchett Janitor/ Caretaker- Zarvox Bean Dumbledore's still the headmaster, of course!  
  
Ok, I'll shut up now- ONTO THE STORY!  
  
*__________________________________________*  
  
Sunday had already rolled by. The following week passed even faster, especially since it was the last week before summer holidays. Most teachers didn't bother trying to teach the children much, like Professor Kettering, the Care For Magical Creatures teacher. She let them chase gnomes behind the Herbology greenhouses to their content. Professor Dingleberry, however, who was having her students tidy them in time for the end of the year, was not at all pleased about the racket the students (especially James and his gang) were making. Professor WIndbough was letting her students use any method to foretell summer fortunes to fellow students. Professor McGonagall, to the students' dislike, kept them working until the very last minute. She made them start working on transfiguring animals into other animals, which was one of the most difficult units of transfiguration. Professor Binns, too was trying to get in the last factors that led to the great troll migration.  
  
James and his gang were much more mischevious than usual, anxious and antsy because holidays were so near. On Monday they went down to the kitchens and started a food fight that had the house elves completely petrified. Caretaker Zarvox Bean was sent down to investigate, but he never found the Marauders because the four of them had managed to take refuge under James' invisbility cloak. Later that week, they started selling answers from the O.W.L.s to fourth years who were willing to pay one galleon per answer. James and Sirius had sneaked into the secret hidden room where test forms were kept and nicked the answer sheet.   
  
Thursday of that week during their free period, the marauders (with the exception of Peter who mumbled something about not having his own broom and not wanting to use one of the school's) played a game of Quidditch- James against Remus and Sirius. As he had expected, James won the game and caught the snitch. However, as he dived for the snitch, he knocked right into Remus' broom, and plumeted to the ground. Luckily, it was only a three meter fall. James was lying face-down in the mud when Remus got off his broom to attend to James. He shook James shoulders, "You alright?"  
  
Sirius, who had seen James fall, came over and called to him, "Prongs!"  
  
James sat up, his face expressed glory and was slightly condescending as he opened his palm to show the snitch he had caught. He wiped his face on the tail of his robes, only to find that his nose was bleeding. Remus helped James to feet and handed him a white hanky from inside his robes with the initials "RL" embroidered on it. "Why don't you put the brooms away and I'll take Prongs here to the hospital wing?" Remus said to Sirius.The question was more of a statement and he was already walking up the steps inside the castle.   
  
Sporting a bloody nose (and now quite bloody Quidditch robes), James and Remus made their way down the corridor to the hospital wing. By the time they went in the door and were received by Madame Ratchett whose face changed from a rather pleasant rosy glow to a pallid complexion faster than a traffic light.   
  
Aghast and wide-eyed, she inquired what happened.  
  
Remus explained what happened.   
  
"Well, give him here at once," Madame Ratchett said, regaining her composure. She immediately proceeded to shoo Remus out the door and plunked James down in a chair. "Tsk, tsk. You never learn, James," she said and got out her wand. "Here, give me that handkerchief, please." She held out her other hand to take the bloodied handkerchief and tossed it into a hamper. "Let's have a look at that nose of yours... Oh, dear, quite bloody, isn't it... no, I'm quite certain it's not broken... There, hold that in place there... Open wide-" she forced him to swallow a spoonful of a green substance that smelled like boys' Quidditch Changing Rooms.   
  
"Argh..." James made a choking noise as the liquid ran down his throat.   
  
"Just swallow... good boy..." The door opened. "Keep holding that kerchief to your nose," she said as she attended to the two girls who had entered the room.  
  
James grunted. He saw Madame Ratchett attending to one of the girls who had entered. Next to her he saw a flash of red. "Evans!" he blurted.   
  
The girl was indeed, Lily Evans and was clearly not injured. She stared at him, up and down and merely raised her eyebrows. Then she turned back to her rather short, blonde friend.  
  
Not discouraged at all, James stood up (still holding the hanky to his nose) and walked over to Lily. "How'd you know I was here, Evans?" he said, flashing a grin.   
  
She pursed her lips and looked away.   
  
"You haven't changed your mind about going out wi-"  
  
Madame Ratchett suddenly noticed James. "What are you doing out of your seat, Potter? SIT BACK DOWN," she said firmly.  
  
James grumbled a little, but trudged back to his seat, ruffling his hair. When he had sat down, he called over to Madame Ratchett, asking if he could take the hanky off now. She looked up and quickly acknowledged him with a nod. Wiping the dried blood from his face with a damp cloth, he saw Lily at the door, about to leave.  
  
"Lily!" he called to her.   
  
She half turned, lips pursed. She looked at him with an icy gaze and quickly left.   
  
James touched the hair at the back of his head again. Probably still upset about the Hogsmeade thing, he mused. How long do you think it'll take her to get over it, he asked himself as he finished wiping his face with the cloth.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
"How's your ankle now?" Lily asked.  
  
"Much better," said Sasha, tossing her blonde curls. "Well, you know what I realized, Lily?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Everything has its bad sides and good sides..."  
  
Lily's laughter rang out clear and genuine. "You took this long to figure it out?" she teased her friend.  
  
"Well, what I mean was helping Professor Dingleberry clean up during our free period was kind of bad. But then when she let us out for break that was good. And then chasing gnomes like we used to as little kids was fun. Then tripping and fracturing my ankle was bad... but then we meet Potter in the hospital wing was good!" she grinned in a playful way.  
  
Lily gave an exasperated sigh. "I don't think anyone quite understands the pure contempt I feel for Potter-"  
  
"You feel WHAT for James?" Sirius had somehow managed to sneak up on the girls.   
  
Lily blushed all the way up to her hair roots. "Nothing for Potter," she said, deeply emphasizing "nothing".   
  
Sirius grinned. "Sure," he said and winked at Lily. "Don't worry, I won't tell him what I heard."  
  
"It was NOTHING..." Lily opened her mouth, appalled, still blushing furiously.  
  
Sasha, too was blushing for some reason unbeknownst to Lily, and was staring at the ground.   
  
"How are you, McGovern?" Sirius said to Sasha.  
  
There was a bright gleam in Sasha's eyes and she flashed a 100-watt smile. "Fine, Black. You?"  
  
"Couldn't be better... Can't wait for the holidays."  
  
"Oh, me neither!..." They started an enthusiastic conversation but Lily didn't join in and she was barely listening. She was imagining what life would be like when people would spread the rumor around that she had a thing for Potter after all. Potter would come up to her... and ask her why she had said no the whole time, when he had been hearing from various people that she actually liked him... She'd tell him that it was all false... He'd ask her out again... she'd say no, of course. Maybe she'd even slap him. Yes, she'd slap him. That would push him back into reality... Or Perhaps not..? Perhaps she'd look at his hazel eyes full of sorrow and remorse. He'd look at her with profound caring and- dare she say it? -Love? He'd give an eloquent speech about what a jerk he'd been and say he was truly sorry. Then she'd melt and they wou- NO. No, they wouldn't. He was James Potter, after all.   
  
________________________________________  
  
James woke up early on the last day of school. He and Sirius spent their morning hours down in the Kitchens. There, they surreptitiously switched the breakfast ingredients. It had all started out as a game.  
  
"I dare you to switch the sugar and the salt in the kitchens before breakfast," Sirius had said the night before.   
  
"Then we both know not to eat any of the pastries tomorrow," James said, a mischevious grin forming on his lips.   
  
Sirius sported an identical grin and they both crawled into their juxtaposed four-posters.   
  
"Sirius!"  
  
"Mhm?"  
  
"You hex the stoves, so they won't work!"  
  
"You got it.."   
  
"Good Night, then."  
  
"G'night."  
  
For a while the boys' dormitory was quiet. Then, "Sirius? You don't think Lily likes her oatmeal cooked or pastries, do you?"  
  
"How'm I s'possed to know, mate?" Sirius said, groggy.  
  
"Iono.... so far I've only seen her eat biscuits and jam at breakfast..."  
  
"Sleep!" commanded Sirius.   
  
James turned on his other side and slowly closed his eyes.  
  
The next morning, they did as planned. They watched several students grab jelly and cinnamon rolls, and then grimace as they chewed and swallowed.   
  
Lily who ate her usual bread roll with jam, looked puzzled at Vanessa, who had put down her cinnamon roll in disgust. She hurriedly picked up her orange juice and drained her glass.  
  
"What's wrong?" Lily said, taking a bite.  
  
"This cinnamon roll doesn't taste like a cinnamon roll..."  
  
Lily laughed, "Do they ever, really?"  
  
"It tastes more like vegamite," Vanessa made a face.  
  
"Let's see," said Nadine.  
  
"Go ahead," Vanessa replied, pushing her plate towards Nadine.  
  
Nadine's reaction was most similar to Vanessa's. "Tastes like someone switched the ingredients... it's really salty!"  
  
Lily looked around the room. She saw James and Sirius sniggering amongst themselves. "I know who the culprits of this prank are," she said.   
  
"Who?"  
  
"Potter and Black. They look like they know something we don't."  
  
Sasha, Nadine, and Vanessa stretched their necks to get a look at James and Sirius. "Hmmm, I think you're right, Lily."   
  
"Ugh," said Lily, "I bet this was Potter's idea.... He needs to GROW UP.."  
  
_______________________________________  
  
The Dinner Feast that night was much better than the breakfast had been. Lily had already packed and her trunk and her owl, Zephyr were all at the foot of her bed. She was impatient to get home and enjoy summer, despite the numerous difficult homework assignments she'd received. She enjoyed the feast much more than she thought she would, and at the end, the whole school sang the Hogwarts song:  
  
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts, Teach us something please, Whether we be old and bald Or young with scabby knees, Our heads could do with filling With some interesting stuff, For now they're bare and full of air, Dead flies and bits of fluff, So teach us things worth knowing, Bring back what we've forgot, Just do your best, We'll do the rest, And learn until our brains are rot!"  
  
Lily tossed and turned her last night in her four-poster. Finally, she fell asleep, however. She fell into a deep, dreamless sleep and did not wake up until Vanessa shook her awake early in the morning, already fully clothed.  
  
"Time to leave!" she said brightly.  
  
*________________________________________*  
  
AN: It could just be me but my chapters seem to get longer and longer and worse and worse and more boring... T_T Anyway, I want to know what YOU think- make me happy and review please! ^.^ 


	5. The Missing Wand

Disclaimer: I'm already getting sick of writing these.... *Sigh* I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. ALSO- The "Hogwarts Song" that was sung by the students in the previous chapter is from The Sorcerer's Stone (Ch. 7). Therefore, I did not write it nor do I own it....  
  
Potterchick1: Thank you for your kind words!  
  
Amandinka: Thanks for reviewing! What do you think of the fic so far?  
  
Centaur219: Thank you! and thanks for reviewing me back- of course I'll return the favor ~_^  
  
*______________________________________*  
  
James Potter was in a rush. Actually, that was an understatement. He was feverishly trying to pack before it was time to go. However, he wasn't the only one. Sirius, too was running around the boys' dormitory trying to pack before it was it was time to leave. James was trying to use his summoning charm to put everything in his trunk, but he kept pointing his wand at the wrong things. Sirius, meanwhile was having trouble finding his wand.  
  
"WHERE could it be?!" Sirius was now tossing all his robes, books, supplies, and pajamas carelessly on the bed, frantically searching for his wand.   
  
"Try under the bed," suggested James who was rushing downs the stairs to the common room, trying to look for "The Advanced Wizard's Guide to Transfiguration".   
  
"Moony, have you seen my wand- nine inches and made of ebony?" Sirius asked, walking over to Remus' four-poster.   
  
Remus was sitting on top of the things in his trunk, in an effort to flatten them so that he could close his trunk. "No I haven't... Sorry."  
  
"What's it look like?" asked Peter, as he closed his monogramed trunk and locked it with a dry click.  
  
Sirius began to crawl under the beds. His voice sounded muffled, "It's rather short... dark and unusually thick-"   
  
"Like you," said James, playfully. Sirius crawled out from under the four-poster and grinned back.  
  
"Anyone remember that spell?" Remus asked, as he stood in front of his trunk. He had managed to close it, however, black robes were still poking out.  
  
"Exactly WHAT spell?" Peter had started to drag his trunk down the stairs.  
  
"You know- the one that makes everything light-"  
  
"I think it's light enough in here, Moony," said Sirius.  
  
"Light as in weight, Padfoot," responded Remus ," So we won't have to carry our trunks like that." He turned his face to Peter, who had now slipped and was sliding down the stairs on his stomach, with his trunk following him.  
  
James immediately retrieved his wand from his pocket and pointed it at his trunk. "Levis Motus!"   
  
"Why didn't you do that to MINE before I was heading downstairs?" whined Wormtail, clutching his stomach and groaning.  
  
James ignored Wormtail. An air of agorrance was sorrounding James as he performed the spell on the cage of his owl and Sirius' trunk as well.   
  
"Thanks, Prongs," said Sirius with genuine gratitude.  
  
"What are you going to do about your wand?" asked Remus.  
  
Sirius rubbed his chin in thought. Then he said lackadaisically, "I can always get a new one in Diagon Alley, can't I?"  
  
Remus shrugged in reply as he performed the spell on his own baggage.   
  
"Let's go!" called Peter from the bottom of the staircase. After Sirius had managed to quickly throw his clothes and books back into his trunk, the Marauders picked up their now-feather-light trunks and marched solemnly down the steps.   
  
____________________________________  
  
"So are we taking our usual compartment or what?" Lily was already walking down the aisle on the Hogwarts Express.  
  
"Lily!" Vaness put her hand on Lily's shoulder, "Nadine and I were just talking about something-"  
  
"What is it?" Lily looked imploringly at the tall, curly-haired brunette.  
  
"Well, I know you're pretty keen when it comes to noticing small things so I'm sure you noticed that 'thing' going on between Sirius and Sasha the other day..."   
  
Lily's lips turned up into a sly grin. "Of course I did. So, let me guess- instead of the four of us sitting together as usual you want to make sure she and Sirius end up in the-"  
  
"-same compartment." they chorused.   
  
"That's the plan," Vanessa said. "But, Lily- there's another part. You know how Sirius is best friends with-"  
  
At this point, Lily's smile dropped. Vanessa continued, not discouraged.  
  
"-Potter. And you know I can't make a decent conversation with either one... I like Remus a lot better. He's really nice and friendly. And Wormtail- well.. I'd still prefer him."  
  
Lily sighed. "Fine, 'Nessa."  
  
"Thanks a million, Lily!" Vanessa hugged her and walked down the aisle with Nadine following her.  
  
Sasha came up behind Lily. "Where are they going?" Sasha wrinkled her brow as she watched Nadine and Vanessa enter a compartment.   
  
"They said they have something important to discuss," Lily invented, as she worked hard to make her eyebrows furrow in that especially clueless way.  
  
Lily wasn't sure what to do next. How do you guarantee yourself a compartment on the train with James Potter and Sirius Black? The only thing she knew was that they usually came running breatlessly and were always the last to board the train. They usually got the last compartment which Remus and Peter saved for them. But this time, Vanessa and Nadine were going to take those empty seats... Yes, Lily thought to herself, it would all work out perfectly...  
  
"Let's get a compartment," said Sasha, who was beginning to bite her bottom lip impatiently.   
  
Her words had just pulled Lily from her musing. "What?" she looked at Sasha a bit more bewildered than she had meant to.  
  
"A compartment?"  
  
"Oh, yes. Sorry- lost in deep thought back there," Lily said, her face a bit flushed as she followed the blonde.  
  
"And I'm sure I know about whom-" she teased.  
  
"Oh, Sasha!"  
  
They lugged their trunks and Lily's owl behind them as they took a compartment. They stowed away the trunk and Zephyr and sat down. Sasha began to make small talk but Lily was barely listening. She was anticipating the sound of footsteps. Running footsteps. The ones of James Potter and Sirius Black, to be exact. Lily looked at her wristwatch. The train was going to leave any minute. They were going to MISS THE TRAIN! Didn't Potter have the slightest bit of sense?   
  
They were moving. The train were really moving. Where were they? However, the train had only moved two or three yards when they abruptly stopped. Lily heard voices from the front of the train. Very angry voices, indeed.   
  
"Next time, we will NOT be stopping the train!" she heard the conductor say. Then the train sped up again.  
  
She detected the rhythm of two feet walking down the corridor. They were obviously dragging trunks behind them. Occasionally they seemed to stop and Lily heard compartments being opened. More voices and then the compartment closed, and the footsteps moved on. Finally, the footsteps stopped in front of their compartment and the door slid open. Sirius' head poked in.  
  
"D'you have any room?" He asked, politely smiling at Sasha.  
  
"Sure!" Sasha lightened up immediately.  
  
"You have room for James, too, don't you?" asked Sirius, looking at Lily.  
  
"Well-" Lily wasn't exactly sure whether she should say no since Sirius had actually given her a choice. But what if he had just asked out of politeness and was expecting her to say yes? Well, he had taken the time to actually ASK her, so wouldn't it be only fair if she said yes? But before Lily could make up her mind, Sasha replied.  
  
"Of course!" Sasha said, still smiling brightly at Sirius.   
  
"Thanks," Sirius opened the compartment all the way and quickly put his trunk up next to Lily's. James walked in and put his on the other side, next to Sasha's, as well as the cage for his owl.  
  
Almost as if they had planned it, Sirius took a seat next to the ecstatic Sasha, while James plopped down next to Lily.   
  
"You're pretty late, aren't you?" Sasha asked, turning herself partially to face Sirius.  
  
Lily perked up and decided to listen in. She was very curious what they had been doing.  
  
"Well," Sirius said, "James and I had some business to take care of before we left." He winked at James.  
  
"What exactly..?" Lily tried to plaster an indifferent smile on her lips.  
  
"Well-" Sirius started, a mischievous glint in his eye.  
  
Ò-It had something to do with a certain CARETAKER...Ó said James, his eyes sparkling.  
  
Lily and Sasha exchanged glances. "What do you think they did?" Sasha mouthed to Lily when Sirius and James started trying to hex their hair exotic colors. Lily shrugged her shoulders and watched Sirius and James instead.   
  
ÒCapillus Anaranadus!Ó Sirius said, pointing to JamesÕ dissheveled black hair. Nothing happened.   
  
ÒWere you trying to turn it orange?Ó Lily asked Sirius.   
  
ÒErhm.. yes. Oh, well. I donÕt think orange would have suited you anyway, James.Ó Lily and Sirius chuckled lightly. ÒSo what are you planning this summer, McGovern?Ó Sirius asked, turning to Sasha. The two started a very lighthearted conversation about summer plans which left Lily and James sitting quietly next to each other.   
  
ÒWhat are your plans, Evans?Ó James asked, wondering if she had forgotten about their meeting at Hogsmeade and the unpleasant incident.   
  
Lily did not answer, only shot him a dirty look.  
  
Apparently, she WASNÕT the forigiving type, James thought to himself. WouldnÕt she at least talk to him? He felt frustrated; here was his best friend, scoring big with the girl he was pining after, and here he was- the famous sought-after James Potter, rejected by Lily Evans more times than he could count. Was there something hopelessly wrong with him? Was he hopeless after all, like she had said? Maybe he should just ASK her why she was so angry with him. James sighed and stared at the ceiling of the train. Then licked his lips and swallowed.   
  
ÒAre you still mad at me, Evans?Ó James twiddled his thumbs nervously.  
  
Lily gave an exasperated sigh. Ò You spied on me!Ó Lily felt slightly guilty as soon as she had said it but comforted herself by noting that she hadnÕt actually MEANT to spy on them and overhear things; and besides, she had only overheard something about his friend, not him. She continued, ÒThen, when I tried to confront you, you ran off! Gave me no explanation, at all! And THEN, in the hospital wing, you acted like nothing had happened.Ó  
  
"Ehrr... I'm sorry, Evans...."  
  
She snorted in reply. "yeah, right," she muttered under her breath. She watched him, his coal-black hair disheveled in the back again and his robes looked as if he had just gotten out of bed and carelessly thrown them on without second thought. His skin was naturally rather pale, she observed. However, playing quidditch had tanned his arms and his face, too. He had a lean and athletic build, most definitely from quidditch. And Without a dout, he would be just a little less than a foot taller than she, standing up. But those eyes!- she looked at them again, only to find them staring curiously back at her.   
  
"Evans?"  
  
"I've told you before that you're just not my type," Lily remained firm.   
  
"Why don't we make a truce, then? To just be friends?" James held out his large, square hand and Lily shook it hastily.  
  
"Alright, Potter- friends."  
  
"Did I just see what I thought I saw?" Sirius stopped his conversation with Sasha and turned to face Lily and James.   
  
"Just a truce, Black. Nothing beyond that," said Lily cooly.   
  
"Hopefully it'll be more than that, someday," James said, grinning from ear to ear.   
  
Lily shot him another dirty look.  
  
"Who's up for a game of exploding snap?" asked Sasha suddenly. She didn't wait for anyone to reply, but immediately got out her cards, shuffled, and passed them out. They played seven games of exploding snap, until Sirius and James started moaning about not wanting to play again. They tried to amuse themselves by looking out the window and counting certain things they saw.   
  
Lily had counted thirteen flocks of geese, nine wild swans on sixteen various lakes, eighteen herons, twenty-eight solitary cottages, as well as one-hundred forty-six clouds by the time it was lunch. The four of them splurged their money on candy which they divided equally amongst themselves. Lily and Sasha ate just enough to feel full, but the boys stuffed themselves with candy until they felt sick.   
  
Sirius and James were clutching their stomachs when Remus and Vanessa opened the compartment.   
  
"Hi guys! How ar-" Vanessa stopped mid-sentence when she saw Sirius and James. "What happened?" chocolate frog cards were strewn on the ground and three half-opened bags of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans were lying next to James and Sirius.  
  
"They splurged on candy. James said he could eat more than Sirius could- and well- you know..." Lily said, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Ahh.. well-" Remus said. "We were wondering if anyone had a deck of cards- we're bored to death-"  
  
"Didn't you bring cards, Sasha?"   
  
"Yeah- do you want to borrow them, 'Nessa?"  
  
"That'd be great! Thanks!"  
  
"Sure," Sasha said, reaching to open her trunk and pull them out. As she finally got them, something else fell out of her trunk. A wand. Nine inches, made of ebony, dragon heartstring at the core.  
  
Sirius sat up immediately, "My wand!"   
  
*_________________________________________*  
  
A/N: Hmmm... don't think that was one of my better chapters. I think it was a little long and tedious. Let me know, please, what you think- Click that button ^.^ !! Thanks! 


	6. Dinner Preparations

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing...  
  
AN: I just had STAR testing (only one more week to go!!) and Writer's Block so my deep apologies for the late update!! I don't know how this chapter is going to turn out... let's hope it'll be ok. And remember- REVIEW! I love people who review!!! *HUG*   
  
potterchick1: You are probably my most faithful reader/ reviewer... thank you!! :-)  
  
By the way- a little mild language in this chapter-  
  
And just one more thing- does anyone know whether Petunia or Lily is the older sister? I'm guessing Petunia is older but if you know otherwise, please correct me...  
  
*_______________________________________*  
  
For about ten seconds, which seemed much longer to them, they gathered around to look at Sirius' wand.   
  
Sasha blushed crimson, all the way to her blonde hair roots.   
  
Sirius was still only looking at it. He looked at Sasha, who was looking increasingly more uncomfortable. He opened his mouth and closed it again, not unlike a fish. Then, he suddenly smacked his forehead against his palm. "Oh, that's right!" he said as if he had just realized something. "I left it at Honeydukes' yesterday, didn't I? Remember, James?"  
  
James shot him a puzzled look. "We didn't g-"   
  
Lily, not as slow on the uptake as James, jabbed him in the ribs. "Wha-?" She shot him a look. He finally caught the hint.  
  
"Oh, yeah.... I remember now..." he said lamely.  
  
"Yeah," Lily added, " I think Vanessa and I found it when we went to Hogsmeade later on that day, Remember?" Lily looked at Vanessa who nodded her head hesitantly.  
  
"I guess I must have accidentally packed it in my trunk," Sasha said, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. How embarrassing it would have been if Sirius had found out that she had actually found it at the Gryffindor table in the common room and packed it in her trunk. Why had she done that? Well, thank goodness for friends like Lily who were very observant...  
  
"Thanks... I thought I'd lost it," Sirius took the wand gratefully from Sasha.   
  
"Well, glad you found it," Remus said with genuine interest. "Let's go." and he and Vanessa, cards in hand, left the compartment and closed it behind them.  
  
An awkward silence began to fill the air. And Lily started to stare out the window again.   
  
"So... ehr.. are you excited about summer?" James asked Lily.  
  
"Since when is that any of your business?" Lily said- and as she judged later- a little too sharply. Why had she suddenly blurted that out? James, however, was amused.  
  
"Is this how you treat all the people you're friends with?"  
  
"A truce and a true friendship, Potter, are two completely different things."  
  
James opened his mouth, in mock appall. "You JUST made a truce with me that said we were friends...." He pretended to look upset. "L-l-li-li-ly's being m-m-meaaaan!" Sasha and Sirius noticed his fake wailing and they began to laugh.  
  
He DID look rather funny there, feigning tears. Lily began to speculate. Her first reaction, of course, would have been to either slap him or give him one of her green-eyed dirty looks. She wanted to laugh. But if she did, he'd think he'd finally gotten to her, which he had most DEFINITELY not! If she didn't laugh, everyone else would all think she was cold-hearted. This was James Potter she was talking about. Nope, she wouldn't laugh....  
  
Despite herself, Lily did begin to laugh. It wasn't even that funny but she began to laugh harder. Sirius and Sasha had stopped laughing and were now looking at Lily, whose expression was turning florid as she continued to giggle.  
  
"You didn't put a giggle charm on her, did you, mate?" asked Sirius, glancing at her amused.  
  
"Ehr... no," said James, studying Lily. She started to slouch in her seat as she struggled to suppress the fits of giggles.  
  
"You okay, Lily?" Sasha leaned forward, looking at Lily curiously.  
  
It took a minute or two for Lily to answer through her peals of laughter. She then quickly sat up again in her seat. Her face was still red when she said, "I'm fine... sorry guys. I don't know why I laughed so much just now..."  
  
The rest of the ride was painfully quiet. No one needed to change since they had all changed into their regular clothes before they had left for the train. Sirius, James, and Sasha were all dressed in light, airy robes in various colors especially made for summer. Underneath her robes, Sasha wore a pair of denim shorts and a t-shirt with a princess neck the hue of a ripe peach.   
  
Sirius' and James' robes did not open in front the way Sasha's did and the only thing peaking out were the collars of their polo shirts.  
  
_______________________________________  
  
"Argh...." Lily threw herself on her bed. I can't believe I acted like SUCH a fool, she thought to herself. What in the world had she been laughing about anyway? She had acted like a COMPLETE ass. As she buried her face in her pillow, she sighed heavily. Why had she agreed to go into a compartment with James Potter? Lily pictured herself in her room- a large picture of James Potter on her wall and throwing darts at the picture. She had to laugh to herself at the silly thought.  
  
"Lil!" she heard a voice calling from the bottom of the stairs.  
  
She did not move for a moment. Then she sat up and called back, "Coming!"  
  
She didn't need to change since she had been dressed in Muggle clothes the whole time already and so she simply dusted herself off and hurriedly went downstairs.   
  
"What is it, Mom?" Lily asked the red-headed woman at the base of the stairs. She was in a knee-length black skirt and a crisp, smart, white blouse. Over her outfit, she had tied an apron Lily had made for her. It instantly repelled dirt and stains.  
  
"Well, we're having some guests over for dinner and I'd like to have your things out of the way downstairs beforehand."  
  
Lily groaned. "Not AGAIN, Mom! I can't keep Zephyr in my room all the time.. plus, he'll be too conspicuous here-"  
  
Her mother shook her red curls lightly. "I've already thought of that, Lil. D'you think I'd forgotten about last year? Anyway, my plan is to keep him in the basement during dinner. I've cleared aside all the old boxes. I think he'll be just fine. I think we may have mice down there, anyway."  
  
"Won't it be dark?"  
  
Her mother laughed," Oh Lily... " She stroked the top of her daughter's head. "I know how much you love him. He'll be fine. Owls can see in the dark, remember?" She gave Lily a quick hug. "Now go put your trunk upstairs and put Zephyr downstairs in the basement. Call Petunia to help," and with that she scurried back into the kitchen. "Oh- and one more thing," she stopped mid-walk and turned around. "Change into a nice dress before they get here."  
  
"Ok, Mom..." Lily grudgingly walked to the front door, where she had dropped her school things and Zephyr in his cage. Lily saw her heavy trunk sitting on the marble entryway and she sighed. No magic outside of school.... There was no way she would ask Petunia for help. She was certainly not going to ask for anyone's help- she was definitely OLD enough to take care of her own things by now. She'd be sixteen by August. One-and-a-half years younger than Petunia, but by Lily's standards, she felt equal, if not better than her sister in every way.   
  
Eventually, the trunk and ZephyrÕs cage to her mind off of Petunia. She picked up his cage and walked down the steps to the basement. ÒShould I let him loose?Ó she called from the stairs.   
  
She heard something faintly from her mother in the kitchen that sounded remotely like a ÒnoÓ.  
  
ÒIÕm sorry baby... Ò she stroked his wing. He was smaller, sleek and elegant speckled tawny owl. He was extremely fast, speedy and a very graceful hunter. Lily loved him ever since she had gotten him second year. She loved to see him fly, and he was extremely magnificent- she thought he was not unlike a sweeping wind. Therefore, she named him after the god of the West wind.   
  
ÒShe said you have to stay in your cage.... but IÕve thought of something...Ó Lily muttered to it. However, she knew he was smart. ÒPromise not to make any noise while the people are here?Ó she asked as if she was expecting an answer. Lily opened the door partially. ÒBe good, okay?Ó she kissed her index finger and pressed it to its wing.   
  
Upstairs again, she grabbed her trunk and started to drag it to the staircase. To her disappointment, Lily found she still could not drag her trunk any more easily than the year before. ÒUgh... whoever made up this Ôno-magicÕ rule?Ó Lily muttered to herself. How was she going to get her trunk upstairs if she could barely pull it across the floor? After weighing her decisions she finally decided to do the way she had done it every other year before. She unlocked her trunk and carried everything upstairs separately. Lily managed it in seven trips- two less than last year. Then she finally dragged her empty trunk up the stairs, which was now much lighter without the heavy textbooks, all the parchment, ink, supplies, clothes, and school robes.  
  
She had thrown everything on her wrought-iron frame bed, and she started to put everything away. She hung all her robes in her closet. She folded the clothes and put them neatly away in her rosewood dresser drawers. Her wand, parchment, homework, and quills she put in her desk drawers. Then she went for a quick shower and changed into a classy black velvet-like dress. It was simple and the hem ended at her knees.   
  
"Lily!" she heard someone call from downstairs. She recognized the voice to be her father's which meant he had probably come home from work while she had been in the shower. It already smelled incredibly good downstairs. While she was on the landing, she heard the doorbell ring. The guests- whoever they were, were here. She took a breath, prepared to meet whoever was there.  
  
_______________________________________  
  
"So guess who else is coming over for Summer Holidays?" Eulalie Potter was peeling potatoes with her wand and letting them fly into the pot.  
  
James, who was setting the table (using his wand as well) looked at his mother inquisitively. "Who?"  
  
"Your grandparents, of course!" She had now finished peeling the potatoes and was busy boiling them in a pot.   
  
"Are they coming for dinner?"   
  
"Uh, huh. Put out two more place settings, please. And then would you be kind enough to clean up your room a little?"  
  
James just muttered something incomprehensible at his mother's question and pointed his wand at one of the drawers in the kitchen. Immediately two pairs of forks, knives, and spoons flew out and landed gently on the table- all neatly where they should be. Then he pointed his fourteen inch rosewood- and unicorn tail-wand at the china cabinet and the dinner and salad plates and soup dish flew through the air and landed on the table.   
  
"Now go clean up your room, please."   
  
James groaned, "Why did it have to be everyone's day off EXACTLY the day I come home for holidays?"  
  
"You spoiled child, stop complaining!" she scolded him playfully.   
  
"Argh..." James was just on his way upstairs when he heard some whooshing noise from the fireplace and out stepped Byrtwold Potter in his ministry work robes. His hair was not unlike James' except that it was brown and he had slicked it back for a clean-cut and respectable businessman-look.   
  
"Hi, Dad," James said quickly as he made his way up the stairs, two at a time.  
  
Byrtwold Potter quickly pecked Eulalie Potter on the cheek as she was chopping vegetables to add in with the potato soup.  
  
"Is it Helga's day off today?" he asked his wife as he sunk into a chair and poured himself a small glass of Beseth Berawyn's Best Brandy.   
  
"Obviously... since I'm cooking- today is everyone's day off for the month so we're all alone today. So I thought it'd be a good idea to invite your parents for dinner."  
  
"Oh, alright." There was a short pause as Mr. Potter took another sip from his glass. "Eulalie, I'm worried about James." She raise her eyebrows questioningly at her husband. "Well, specifically, I'm worried about a situation that was being discussed in the ministry today."  
  
"Oh, no..." she put down her wand immediately. "It's not about Lord Voldemort again, is it?"  
  
"I'm afraid it is, Eulalie."  
  
She gasped. "James! He's not in danger, is he?"  
  
"-No, no... We- Godric's Hollow, is completely protected. Everyone is safe as long as we're either here or James is at Hogwarts."  
  
"Thank goodness...." She picked her wand up again and put a casserole in the oven. "You should definitely tell James not to wander out of Godric's Hollow at ALL over the summer..."  
  
"No... that would only make him want to go out. The best thing is if he invited Sirius Black over. They wouldn't wander away, I'm sure. They'd do a lot of mischief, but they'd be safe together."  
  
"Are you sure...? I have heard some rumors about certain families mixed in with those eater-people..."  
  
"Death-eaters, Eulalie. There's not too many of them right now that we need to be scared, but there are a few dangerous ones. Yes, the Blacks are said to be associated with them, but just because his family are in league with Voldemort, doesn't make him one. I don't doubt that Sirius Black is not of their kind."  
  
"What do you think will happen to them?"  
  
"The minister himself told me that they're building some kind of a defense force of special aurors... but he also said that at the moment everyone should keep calm and NO ONE should go around spreading fear. He suspects that they sound worse than they really are."  
  
"I'm just so worried for James..." Mrs. Potter took his glass and sipped deeply.   
  
Mr. Potter hugged her, comfortingly. "Don't worry... Voldemort, and no death-eater will ever touch James Potter."  
  
*_______________________________________*  
  
Was that an ironic closing, or what? The continuation of Lily will come in the next chappie, btw. I'll try to get that up ASAP...!!  
  
Tell me what you thought about it! Make my day (or week!) and click that button!! ^.^ 


	7. Soapsuds and Euphemisms

Disclaimer: I STILL don't own anything....  
  
AN: Star Testing is FINALLY over!!! cheer Not only that but Mother's Day is coming up.. Happy Mother's Day! AND Happy Cinco de Mayo!   
  
Just wondering one thing- when are James' and Lily's birthdays?  
  
Uploading to FF.n has been kind of strange lately... it won't display certain symbols. So I'm sorry if you can't tell when the setting changes.  
  
potterchick1: Thanks again! Hehe... I know that ending was pretty ironic... Hope you enjoy this chappie!  
  
///////////////////////////  
  
Lily was staring at her soup with an utter distaste. Tomato. Usually her favorite next to clam chowder, but she had lost her appetite today. All she could do was take tiny sips from her spoon, pretending to eat slowly so she could savor the flavor.   
  
Why did her parents always have to host these annoying little dinner parties? Tonight's guests seemed to be especially dull. They were a family of four, rather like Lily's. But so different at the same time...  
  
Peter Evans was a doctor. A neurologist, to be exact and head of the Neurology department. Out of courtesy, he often invited new members of the Neurology staff at Kingsbridge Hospital.   
  
Lily eyed her father's new employee rather more skeptically than she realized and he shot her a strange scowl. His name was Doctor Cecil Dursley. He was a rather stout, gregarious man with a florid complexion. His wife was a small, delicate, little thing and with her quiet voice, hardly noticeable. Apparently, however, their two children had inherited most of their physical traits from their father.  
  
Marge was the older one, Lily guessed. She resembled her father closely especially because it seemed as though she had sprouted identical facial hair. Lily tried to suppress a giggle and this thought and ended up choking on a bit of diced tomato. Her mother, who was sitting at the foot of the table, next to her, patted Lily's back and she quickly took a gulp of water.  
  
Vernon was probably the younger one and he had just given Lily what she interpreted as a "I-know-you-were-laughing-about-one-of-us-but-you-better-cut-it-out" kind of a stare. She looked defiantly back at with what she hoped read as "You-sister-needs-a-shave-and-you-need-a-bath-but-Never-in-hell-would-I-let-you-use-our-bathroom". He pursed his lips and wiped his mouth with his napkin.  
  
"So what school do your lovely daughters go to?" Doctor Dursley was saying as he handed his empty soup bowl to Mrs. Evans, who was collecting them.   
  
"Well Petunia, here, goes to Bellborough Court, she's eighteen-"  
  
"-So she'll be graduating this year?" his mother squeaked.  
  
"That's right," said Mrs. Evans proudly who had returned with a broccoli and chicken casserole. She put it down and rested her hand on Petunia's shoulder who smiled idiotically at Vernon.  
  
"Same as our Vernon!" his mother squealed and she shot a proud look at her son. He was eyeing Petunia with the same foolish grin. Lily wanted to puke.  
  
"What about-ehr... what's her name?" Dr. Dursley asked in a gruff voice.  
  
"Lily," she said rather stiffly.  
  
"Ehr.. that's right. Where do you go?" he took a large gulp from his goblet.  
  
"I board," Lily said tersely.  
  
"You must be terribly bored!" said Dr. Dursely and he pounded his palm on the tablecloth, laughing.   
  
Petunia was laughing heartily along with the rest of the Dursleys. Lily's parents laughed politely, but Lily didn't laugh at all. Mrs. Evans made meaningful eye contact with Lily. At last Lily cracked a stiff smile.  
  
"Looks really good, Mom!" Lily said, intentionally changing the subject as she smiled at her mother and eyeing the casserole, even though she still wasn't hungry.   
  
"Hear, hear!" said Mr. Evans, smiling at his wife.   
  
"I also have roast beef which I'll get in a minute-" and she had already slipped around the corner and returned with roast beef and sauce.  
  
Mrs. Evans took her seat at the foot of the table again and served the guests while Mr. Evans cut the roast.   
  
"Your plate, please, Lily," Mr. Evans said.  
  
"Only a little slice," Lily said as she handed her plate across the table.   
  
Lily watched the Dursleys, who all took enormous helpings of everything. Only Mrs. Dursley took small helpings- even smaller than Lily's.   
  
"So, ehr, where do you board?" Mr. Dursley asked Lily through a full mouth of roast. He took a sip from his glass. Now she could actually see the wine swishing in his mouth, mixing with the brown meat as he chewed it. Then she noticed that Mr. Dursley was not the only member in his family who ate with an open mouth. Marge, too, chewed with her lips parted. Lily felt sick. "Well?" Mr. Dursely asked.  
  
"Ehr-" Lily stuttered, looking at her plate. What should she say? She exchanged glances with her mother who, too, didn't know how to answer.   
  
"Lily doesn't go to school-" her mother suddenly blurted.   
  
"-anymore," Lily added briskly. Lily and her mother exchanged glances. Her mother looked at her with an apologetic expression.   
  
"So you've graduated already!"   
  
What had Lily gotten herself into? "Ye-"   
  
Petunia suddenly looked sourly at Lily. "No!" she said sharply.  
  
Mr. Dursely looked rather confused and shot a questioning glance at Mr. Evans who hurriedly answered, "Lily's older. She just graduated last year."  
  
"No!" Petunia said indignantly one more time.   
  
Mrs. Dursley looked puzzled at the two girls. "Which one of you is older?" She frowned slightly.   
  
Finally the boisterous Marge spoke up. "I bet it's the red-head. She's taller and looks more mature."  
  
Petunia's mouth twitched slightly at this.   
  
Mrs. Evans sensed the slight hostility between her daughters and she quickly changed the subject. "What school do you go to, Marge?" and she shot her a large, white-toothed smile.  
  
Chewing with her mouth open, she said, "Well, I've already graduated, just like Lily-"  
  
Petunia let her fork drop with a clatter. "I'M OLDER!! Lily is a FREAK! SHE HAS NOT GRADUATED! SHE GOES TO A FREAK SCHOOL WHERE THEY TURN RATS INTO TEACUPS! SHE IS NOT NORMAL!" with those words, Petunia pushed back her chair and rushed up the stairs.  
  
"Oh, dear," Mrs. Evans said with a sigh.   
  
///////////////////////////  
  
James folded his arms underneath his head and looked at the ceiling of his room. It had been bewitched to show the nightsky. He even let a sigh escape his lips as he looked at the constellations in the dark.   
  
Tonight he saw Pisces and right next to the fish- Andromeda. Why was it that everything reminded him of Lily?  
  
Andromeda was the girl who had nearly been sacrificed to a monster but rescued at the last moment by a glorious hero. After tonight's dinner, James felt more and more as if he needed to rescue Lily.   
  
His parents and grandparents had talked to him about Voldemort. He was on the rise, they had said. The ministry was likely to defeat him before things got too serious and everyone got too panicky, but the situation was quite precarious at the moment. The minister, Fudge, had just been freshly instated and according to Byrtwold Potter, he did not have what it takes.   
  
Things might get rather dirty, Potter had said. James had been rather excited to hear about the attacks. Then, immediately, he'd been lectured by his father on how this period was a very serious matter. Certain Wizards had been disappearing, especially those who were close with Albus Dumbledore.   
  
Not to mention several attacks on muggles during James' fifth year. Not only were Voldemort and his followers, Death-Eaters, as they called themselves, attacking muggles, they were especially hateful towards muggle-born witches and wizards. They had already killed five ministry officials who were muggle born.   
  
James could not get his mind off Lily. How he wished that he could be the hero who would save her. He saw Voldemort and his followers as the monster who was about to devour Andromeda. He saw himself as Perseus flying by and freeing her from the rock she was chained to...  
  
Andromeda wasn't the only thing that reminded him of Lily. Pisces, the constellation right next to her, was another thing that made him think of her. Pisces was her Zodiac Sign. Then the curtains in his room, which were forest-green velvet, just like her eyes. The door to his room had a very dark red finish that made him think about her think auburn hair.   
  
At least Sirius was flooing over to his house tomorrow and they could think of something better to do than to listen to warnings from his father about Voldemort or mope around about Lily Evans. He watched a shooting star move across his ceiling and then closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.  
  
///////////////////////////  
  
"Dad," Lily asked as she was drying the dishes.  
  
"Yes, Lil?" He was washing the dishes.   
  
"I think you have got to stop inviting people during the holidays when I'm here," Lily said resolutely as she dried another dinner plate.   
  
"I'm sorry about the Dursleys, Lily. I didn't realize Petunia was going to be this difficult either."   
  
"Let's just never have them over again," Lily said, putting her plate in a stack with others.  
  
"What spell did you end up using on them?" he asked his daughter.  
  
"The memory charm. I erased all their memories about our conversation, but I got another warning owl from the ministry," Lily sighed.  
  
"I know, your mother told me."  
  
"If I have to use magic again one more time at home, I'm really in for it."  
  
"Why don't you have a talk with Petunia about this?" He suggested as he handed her another plate.   
  
"Dad, this plate isn't clean," Lily said, pointing to the grime left on it.   
  
"So it isn't..." He muttered, taking the plate back.  
  
Lily found herself giggling. "Dad, you're horrible at this!" she said, as she watched him with amusement. The pair of them laughed together.  
  
"Let's switch jobs then."  
  
Mr. Evans and Lily switched places and he dried his hands on a towel. Lily put her hands in the soapy water and then rinsed it clean. Mr. Evans watched her with mock critique. Lily couldn't help smiling at him as she handed him a perfectly clean plate. He inspected it as if he was looking for something. "Why Lily Evans!" he said emphatically. "This plate is still dirty!"  
  
"Oh, Dad!" Lily guffawed. And she flicked a soapsud at him.  
  
He laughed, too as he grabbed a small handful of the suds and threw them back at her. Of course, then, Lily had to take her revenge.   
  
One soapsud fight later, giggling and laughing they sat down at the kitchen tables, out of breath. Moments after they had sat down, exhausted in their chairs, Mrs. Evans came downstairs and surveyed the scene. She, too couldn't help laughing when she saw Lily and her red hair dripping and soapsuds all over the kitchen.   
  
It had been a long time since she had done so, but Lily felt a need to hug her parents. Her father squeezed her and her mother kissed her soapy hair. Then she showered and went to bed.   
  
///////////////////////////  
  
Sirius came over as planned the next day after breakfast. He brought his trunk and all his other things so that he could stay at the Potters' until term started again just like every year. And Just like every year, the two had nothing in their heads but mischief. They hexed nearly everything in sight, even themselves.  
  
Just like at Hogwarts, there were many portraits lining the halls of the Potter mansion. Sirius and James had been bored out of their wits when Nera, the housekeeper asked the boys if they were up to helping. Since the alternative was writing an essay for Professor Viris for Defense Against the Dark Arts, they decided to help out Nera.   
  
When they found out they were to clean the portraits in the "muggle way" they were outraged. Of course they immediately took out their wands and tried spells to clean the portraits, which to their dismay, didn't work. They tried out more spells, and somehow, James managed to hex Sirius into a portrait. Eventually, they did manage to get him out in the end.   
  
Another day, they did sit down and do some holiday homework. They sat in leather chairs in the Potters' library researching the great Troll Migration. After they had written their essays they invited the rest of the marauders (minus Wormtail) and played another game of Quiddtch. James and Sirius were already getting excited about the coming Quidditch season at Hogwarts.  
  
One night, James had gathered all the Marauders to sleep over at the Potter estate and he brought up the subject of Voldemort.   
  
"My parents told me he was definitely on the rise, but they said that soon enough, though, the ministry will take care of him and his people.  
  
Sirius snorted. " I think your parents are trying not to scare you James.  
  
"Yeah, I know," James sighed heavily. "They're all just using euphemisms.  
  
"Everyone's trying to make this sound a lot sweeter than it really is ," Remus agreed, leaning on his elbow.   
  
Peter piped up," Have you heard anything from your parents about You-Know-Who?  
  
"How daft are you, Wormtail?" Sirius shot back. "Don't you know about the Most Noble Ancient House of Black? How could you forget my lovely cousin Bellatrix?  
  
Peter muttered something incoherent back.  
  
"Anyway, what's going on in the Death-Eater World?" Moony asked, his voice gruff with anticipation.  
  
"He's on the rise... he's definitely on the rise." Sirius' voice was deep and clear.  
  
///////////////////////////  
  
There... finally updated! It's my 15th Birthday on Tuesday (5/11) and if you reviewed, that would make me sooooooo happy!! THANK YOU!! 


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